Today, in the
1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Agnes of
Montepulciano, virgin of the Order of Preachers. The feast is III Class,
so the Ordinary Office is prayed. Like many III Class
feasts of the Dominican saints in the Breviary, her office contains the full
propers as if the feast were II Class. At Lauds, the Psalms of Sunday are
prayed.
From the Martyrology yesterday:
At Montepulciano, St. Agnes, virgin, of the Order of our holy Father Dominic. She was illustrious for her great virtues and her miracles. She merited to be adorned with divine gifts by Christ her Spouse. St. Catherine of Siena learned in a vision that she and Agnes would share equal glory in Heaven.
From “Short Lives of the Dominican Saints” (London, Kegan Paul, Trench, and
Trübner & Co., Ltd., 1901):
Saint
Agnes was born of virtuous parents in the neighborhood of Monte Pulciano, in
Tuscany, about the year 1268. Extraordinary signs and a piety far beyond her
years presaged what this child was one day to become. Whilst still very young,
she succeeded in extorting from her parents’ permission to enter an exceedingly
austere Monastery. After a few years she was sent to assist in the foundation
of another Monastery for the education of young girls at Procena, of which she
became Abbess, in virtue of a special dispensation from the Holy See, when only
fifteen.
She
led a life of continual prayer and rigid penance; and God vouchsafed to show
how pleasing she was in His sight by many signs and wonders. Flowers of exquisite
fragrance and beauty would spring up on the spot where she had prayed; showers
of manna, in the shape of little white crosses, would fall upon her in the
presence of a crowd of witnesses; she was favored by frequent visions, and ten
times received Holy Communion from an angel's hand. So great was the poverty of
her Monastery that money and provisions often failed; in these circumstances
the wants of the Community were sometimes supplied by miracle.
After
seventeen years spent at Procena, the inhabitants of Monte Pulciano entreated
Saint Agnes to come and found a Convent within their walls. She had recourse to
prayer in order to ascertain the will of God, and, as she prayed, a wonderful
vision was granted her. She seemed to herself to be standing on the sea-shore,
and three large and splendidly equipped boats floated on the waters before her.
In one of these stood Saint Augustine, Saint Francis was in another, whilst on
the prow of the third she beheld Saint Dominic. Each of the three Saints
pressingly invited her to his boat, especially Saint Francis, who alleged the
resemblance of the habit she then wore with that of his daughters, the Poor
Clares. After a long dispute, Saint Dominic said to his two companions, "
It will not be as you desire; the Lord has disposed that Agnes should embark on
my boat." So saying, he drew her on board, and immediately a heavenly
messenger stood beside the Saint and made known to her that she was to
establish a Community of virgins, as desired, at Monte Pulciano, on a hill which
had hitherto been the resort of women of evil life, and that her daughters were
to take the habit and follow the rule of Saint Dominic.
This
was accordingly done, and the Saint governed the new Community with the same
wisdom and sweetness with which she had formerly ruled at Procena, and was favored
with the like demonstrations of God's watchful providence. Whilst still at
Procena, Our Lady one day appeared to her and placed the Divine Infant in her
arms. Before restoring Him to His Mother, the Saint had possessed herself of a
little cross which was suspended from His neck by a slender thread. This
treasure she had left behind her on coming to Monte Pulciano, and she now wrote
to claim it. The Community at Procena, who were in great grief at losing their
holy Abbess, absolutely refused to give up the cross; whereupon the Saint
betook herself to prayer, and it was immediately brought to her by an angel.
When
the end of her earthly pilgrimage drew near, Saint Agnes was granted a Divine
warning of the sufferings which awaited her as a final purification before receiving
her crown. One Sunday at break of day, as she was allowing herself a little
rest after prayer, it seemed to her that an angel took her by the hand, and leading
her under an olive-tree, as though to remind her of our Lord's agony in
Gethsemane, presented her with a chalice containing an exceedingly bitter
draft. "Drink this chalice, Spouse of Christ," said the angelic visitant;
"the Lord Jesus drank it for thee." The servant of God eagerly obeyed
for the love of her Divine Bridegroom; but, before she had drained the cup, the
vision disappeared and she found herself once more in her cell. This vision was
repeated on nine consecutive Sundays and shortly afterwards the Saint was
attacked by the long and painful illness which brought her to the grave.
In
compliance with the wishes of her Sisters, she sought relief by paying a long
visit to some medicinal springs at a short distance from the Convent. Here our
Lord was pleased to honor His faithful Spouse by many prodigies. A miraculous
hot water spring gushed forth which afterwards bore her name and was found far
more health-giving than any of the former springs. Finding she derived no benefit
from the baths, the Saint returned to her Convent, which she had been very
unwilling to quit. As she lay stretched on her bed of suffering, her spiritual
children knelt around her, weeping over their approaching loss. "If you
loved me," she said to them with a sweet smile,” you would rejoice,
because I am about to enter into the joy of my Spouse. Be not afflicted beyond measure
at my departure hence; from heaven I shall not lose sight of you; I shall be
your mother, your companion, and your sister whenever you call upon me in your
wants." Her last words were, "I go to Him who is my only hope."
Her holy and happy death, which was followed by many wonders, took place on the
2Oth of April, A.D. 1317. Her Life was written by Blessed Raymond of Capua, who
became Confessor to the Community some fifty years after her death. Readers of
the Life of Saint Catharine of Siena will be familiar with the wonders which
accompanied the visit of that Saint to the tomb of Saint Agnes, and with the
revelation made to her that they two were to enjoy a like glory in heaven.
Saint Agnes was canonized by Benedict XIII., A.D. 1726.
Prayer
O
God, you were pleased often to shed a heavenly dew over the blessed Agnes, your virgin, and to adorn with various fresh-blown flowers the places where she prayed; mercifully grant, through her intercession, that we be sprinkled with the unfailing w of your blessing and be made fit to receive the fruits of immortality. Through our Lord...